Detection of feline coronavirus RNA in feces, tissues, and body fluids of naturally infected cats by reverse transcriptase PCR

J Clin Microbiol. 1995 Mar;33(3):684-9. doi: 10.1128/jcm.33.3.684-689.1995.

Abstract

A nested reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-nPCR) was developed for the detection of feline coronavirus (FCoV) RNA in the feces, tissues, and body fluids of infected cats. The RT-nPCR was targeted to the highly conserved 3'-untranslated region of the viral genome and will detect most, if not all, feline coronaviruses in the field. With the RT-nPCR, FCoV RNA was detected in plasma samples from experimentally infected cats as early as 2 days postinoculation. FCoV RNA was also detected in serum, plasma, or ascitic fluid samples from 14 of 18 cats (78%) with naturally occurring feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The use of RT-PCR for FIP diagnosis is limited because of the occurrence of apparently healthy FCoV carriers. These asymptomatic cats shed the virus in the feces and, in a number of cases, also had detectable virus in the plasma. Because of the nature of FCoV infections, our RT-PCR assay with plasma or serum cannot be used to establish a definite diagnosis of FIP. However, this assay does provide a new means to identify asymptomatic FCoV carriers. As such, RT-nPCR will be of use to screen cats before their introduction into FCoV-free catteries. Moreover, this assay provides an important tool to study the epidemiology of FCoV.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Body Fluids / virology
  • Carrier State / virology
  • Cats
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coronavirus, Feline / genetics
  • Coronavirus, Feline / isolation & purification*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis / diagnosis
  • Feline Infectious Peritonitis / virology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • RNA, Viral / analysis*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • RNA, Viral